Currently, broadband networks may be used to provide traditional telephony service over community antenna television (“CATV”) or other communications networks using coaxial cable (“coax”) or optical fiber cable. For example, ARRIS Group, Inc. offers telephony over cable products known as VOICE PORT® and TOUCHSTONE® cable modems which interface a media terminal adaptor (“MTA”), or an embedded media terminal adaptor (“EMTA”), with a data network. When a customer orders new data or telephony service from a Multiple System Operator (“MSO”), an installer generally travels to the customer's home with a new cable modem or EMTA. Alternatively, the end user could purchase the modem and install it him/herself. In either case, it is desirable for the modem to complete installation as quickly as possible.
One of the most time consuming parts of the installation process can be the modem's establishing communications with the centrally located remote device, typically a cable modem termination system (“CMTS”). To establish communications, the cable modem first checks, or scans, a number of different radio frequency (“RF”) channel frequencies looking for a downstream signal from the CMTS. In order to allow a cable system operator's installers to perform multiple installations in a day, or to improve customer satisfaction in the case of a self-installation, it is desirable to minimize the time required for channel frequency scanning.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a method and system for reducing the time required for a newly installed modem to complete its downstream signal search.